Crab Twist Toe Touch
What Crab Twist Toe Touch really gives you is bracing strength that carries over, driven by pure bodyweight leverage.
How to do Crab Twist Toe Touch
- Start by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing towards your feet, and lift your hips off the ground.
- Extend one leg straight out in front of you while simultaneously reaching your opposite hand towards your toes.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Crab Twist Toe Touch Sets and Reps by Goal
Strength
3 sets of 6-8 hard reps with 2 minutes of rest. Add reps first, then slow the lowering phase.
Hypertrophy
3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load.
Endurance
2-3 sets of 20-25 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Hold the end position for a beat once reps come easily.
Common Crab Twist Toe Touch Mistakes
Rushing reps so gravity does most of the work
Take two to three counts on the lowering phase of every rep.
Pulling with the hip flexors while the abs stay slack
Start every rep by flattening the lower back down, then move.
Easier and Harder Than Crab Twist Toe Touch
Swap Crab Twist Toe Touch For
Crab Twist Toe Touch — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Crab Twist Toe Touch?
Start by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands behind you, fingers pointing towards your feet, and lift your hips off the ground. Extend one leg straight out in front of you while simultaneously reaching your opposite hand towards your toes. Use your bodyweight only and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.
What muscles does the Crab Twist Toe Touch work?
The Crab Twist Toe Touch primarily targets the abs. It is classified as a core exercise and is performed with your bodyweight only.
How many sets and reps of the Crab Twist Toe Touch should I do?
For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-15 reps with 60-90 seconds of rest. Change leverage or elevation before you add load. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.
Is the Crab Twist Toe Touch good for beginners?
Yes. The Crab Twist Toe Touch is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.
What can I do instead of the Crab Twist Toe Touch?
Try the Cable Seated Crunch, Band Bicycle Crunch or the Lever Seated Leg Raise Crunch. Each trains the abs with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
